diff --git a/keyserver/src/updaters/thread-updaters.js b/keyserver/src/updaters/thread-updaters.js
--- a/keyserver/src/updaters/thread-updaters.js
+++ b/keyserver/src/updaters/thread-updaters.js
@@ -942,13 +942,12 @@
     return null;
   }
 
-  const ledChannels =
-    await neynarClient?.fetchLedFarcasterChannels(farcasterID);
+  const userLeadsChannel = await neynarClient?.userLeadsChannel(
+    farcasterID,
+    communityFarcasterChannelTag,
+  );
 
-  if (
-    !ledChannels ||
-    !ledChannels.some(channel => channel.id === communityFarcasterChannelTag)
-  ) {
+  if (!userLeadsChannel) {
     return null;
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/utils/neynar-client.js b/lib/utils/neynar-client.js
--- a/lib/utils/neynar-client.js
+++ b/lib/utils/neynar-client.js
@@ -225,6 +225,21 @@
     }
   }
 
+  userLeadsChannel(fid: string, channelName: string): Promise<boolean> {
+    const userChannelsPromise = (async () => {
+      const ledChannels = await this.fetchLedFarcasterChannels(fid);
+      return ledChannels.some(
+        channel => channel.id === channelName && channel.lead.fid === fid,
+      );
+    })();
+    const channelSearchPromise = (async () => {
+      const channel = await this.fetchFarcasterChannelByName(channelName);
+      return channel?.lead.fid === fid;
+    })();
+
+    return Promise.race([userChannelsPromise, channelSearchPromise]);
+  }
+
   async getFarcasterUsers(
     fids: $ReadOnlyArray<string>,
   ): Promise<Array<?FarcasterUser>> {